SOURCE-BACKED REFERENCE ENTRY · VISA · OCTOBER 2026
MCC 1520:
General Contractors – Residential and Commercial
A classification for home-building contractors; commercial building contractors.
View the source & scope ↓THE CLASSIFICATION
What does MCC 1520 cover?
A classification for home-building contractors; commercial building contractors.
The code belongs to the Construction & trades group in this directory. The acquirer must confirm the appropriate assignment for the merchant and the relevant card network.
ILLUSTRATIVE BUSINESS FIT
What could a matching business look like?
- Home-building contractors
- Commercial building contractors
These examples illustrate the classification. They are not verified NUMUS customers or confirmed transaction-level assignments.
LOOK BEYOND THE LABEL
Risk & provider review
Construction payments may precede substantial work, leaving exposure to delays and disputes over project completion.
Why this category sits here
- Milestone payments
- Uncompleted work
Operating assumptions
Legitimate work with clear scope, proportionate deposits and payment tied to documented milestones.
What could raise the risk?
- Large deposits before work
- Long construction timelines
Assessment basis: Individual business-category assessment. This is an editorial category assessment, not a bank’s rating, an individual merchant decision, a forecast of losses or a promise of approval.
How we assess risk & source references ↗No specific high-integrity-risk flag is reproduced here from the reviewed Visa classification section. This is not an exemption or a finding that no other requirements apply.
Questions worth preparing
- What goods or services generate the largest share of your sales?
- How and when do customers pay, and when are products or services delivered?
- Does a more specific network classification describe your actual business?
Your provider may also ask about transaction size, monthly volume, refunds, disputes, customer locations and delivery timing. Use your actual business facts when discussing the code.
CHECK THE REFERENCE
Source, date & scope
Code and classification reference: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, October 2026. Directory reviewed November 3, 2026.
Visa source · PDF page 27 · printed page 24 ↗Network descriptions and requirements can differ. This entry does not assert complete Mastercard coverage. Confirm current classifications and any special registration requirements with your acquirer.
Read the directory methodology →CONNECT THE NEXT PIECE
Build the payment setup around it.
THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE CODE
Find processing that fits
your actual business.
Your MCC is one piece of the conversation. Tell NUMUS what you sell, how you deliver it, and how your customers pay. We’ll help you take the next step.